Program for automatic phonograph

ABSTRACT

A wall-mounted holder mounting a multiple section program for use with coin-operated jukeboxes or phonographs wherein a plurality of individual program tabs or cards, each identifying a single musical selection, are mounted in individual holding pockets provided on multi-faceted holders arranged in parallel rows for simultaneous rotational movement between selected index positions. In each index position for the holders, corresponding faces thereof are commonly aligned to expose one section of the total program to the viewer.

United States Patent [191 Rockola [451 Mar. 26, 1974 PROGRAM FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH [75] Inventor: Donald C. Rockola, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: June 13, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 262,224

[52] US. Cl. 40/77.7, 40/1242 [51] Int. Cl. G09f 11/02 [58] Field of Search 40/68, 68.4, 77.4-77.8,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1965 Ardis ..40/77.6 4/1967 Werner ..40/77.7

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 103,113 Australia 40/77.7

France 40/77.7

France 40/777 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolff [5 7 ABSTRACT A wall-mounted holder mounting a multiple section program for use with coin-operated jukeboxes or phonographs wherein a plurality of individual program tabs or cards, each identifying a single musical selection, are mounted in individual holding pockets provided on multi-faceted holders arranged in parallel rows for simultaneous rotational movement between selected index positions. In each index position for the holders, corresponding faces thereof are commonly aligned to expose one section of the total program to the viewer.

3 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZS I974 .8ll

SHEEI 1 BF 3 4""5 Fig-2 v 3.1 25

PATENTED M26 IBM SHEEI 2 OF 3 PATENTEDHARZB m4 (1798,81 1

. SHEEI 3 [IF 3 26 r Fig 13 PROGRAM FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPI-I This invention relates generally to automatic phonographs and more particularly to improved means for presenting programs associated therewith.

Automatic phonographs or jukeboxes" as they are more commonly termed, provide the customer-listener with a wide range of musical selections, conventionally in the order of 100 or more individual musical compositions. It is the usual practice to list such selections in a single program display from which the viewer chooses a desired selection, enters its identifying code in the jukebox selector system and thus initiates the play cycle. It is readily understandable that displaying a large number of selections according to the above described conventional practice requires rather extensive display areas. In still other instances, particularly with respect to so-called wall-mounted selectors, the program is combined with the selector mechanism remotely of the coin-operated phonograph. Typical of such an installation is that described and shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,268,868, issued Aug. 23, 1966, wherein the program is divided up into sections mounted on individual pages or leaves, much as in a book, for the purpose of conserving space. Under either of these practices, it is desirable to present the program to the viewer in as convenient a fashion as possible while conserving presentation area. It is to be recognized, however, that leafing through of a number of pages, each containing a section of the program as in U. S. Pat. No. 3,268,868 does not display the entire program to the viewer as conveniently as when the entire program is set forth in a single display panel or mount therefor.

In order to meet the aforenoted difficulty and satisfy the need which has arisen from past and present practice for an improved means of displaying a program as conveniently as possible while conserving the space requirements therefor, especially important in automatic phonographs presenting programs of 100 or more selections, the present invention has been devised.

In brief, the present invention is directed to an improved program holder having means for conveniently sectionalizing the total program and readily presenting such sections to the viewer, thus conserving space and presentation area. The combination of this invention is particularly characterized by its ability to be located remotely of or in direct association with an automatic coin operated phonograph and is marked by its simplicity of the component arrangement, dependability of operation, and convenience and accuracy in readily displaying multiple section programs to the viewer. To this end the present invention comprises a holder structure in which a plurality of individual program tabs, each identifying a specific musical selection or the like, are displayed on multi-faced holders each of which presents a plurality of tab-holding pockets to accommodate the mounting of several program tabs. A multiplicity of such holders are mounted in parallel rows and are commonly associated with a manually-operated drive means for conjointly rotating the several holder rows between selected index positions; the drive means being actuated by the viewer. With this arrangement corresponding tab-holding pockets of the several holders may be indexed simultaneously into a substantially common planar display position whereat the same are removably held by detent means associated with the drive means. Each index position of the holders presents a plurality of individual selections to the viewer, comprising a section of the total program, with the changing of such program sections being conveniently and readily effected by the viewer.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sectionalized program, particularly useful with automatic phonographs and the like.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a program holder. accommodating a multiplicity of individual program items in a presentation or viewing area which is substantially less than that occupied by the entire program.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide an improved combination of elements for displaying a plurality of individual item identifiers with the capability of visually presenting a selected number of items at one time.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved combination for a holder, as set forth in the immediately preceding object, having manually operable means for changing a particular set of item identifiers at the selection of the viewer.

Having thus described this invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those familiar with the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings; it being understood that while the same is herein disclosed in association with a specific field of use, namely, automatic phonographs, the inventive scope and ramifications of its teachings are not so limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a wall-mounted program holder embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the holder illustrated in FIG. 1 with the housing cover thereof removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view with parts thereof shown in section taken substantially along vantage line 55 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage line 66 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage line 77 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the operating member illustrated in FIG. 7 divorced from clutch means associated therewith;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the operating member shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, taken substantially along the vantage line 99 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view with parts thereof in cross section showing the operating member and clutch means employed with the drive means;

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view with parts in cross section illustrating detent means associated with the drive means as viewed substantially along vantage line 11- of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of a multi-faceted holder member according to this invention; and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the holder member shown in FIG. 11, taken substantially along vantage line l313 of FIG. 12 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Turning now to the details of the specific embodiment of this invention illustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated from FIG. 1 in particular, that the same is therein shown embodied in a wallmounted unit adapted to be hung on a vertical wall or like support 21.

Unit 20, as illustrated, comprises a generally rectangular shaped outer housing 22 having a front wall 23 distinguished by a central viewing area 24 fully covered with glass or clear plastic to disclose a plurality of underlying program tabs or cards 25 bearing suitable identifying data, such as the title of a musical selection and its code designation for entering a selection system of an associated jukebox. Each of the tabs 25 is suitably held in unitary holder members 26 of the program assembly indicated generally by numeral 27 (see FIG. 2).

Manually engageable operating members 28,28 are available at opposite sidewalls 29 and 30 of the housing 22 for changing the displayed program section visible to the viewer through panel 24.

The program assembly 27 as best shown in FIG. 2, constitutes a unitary combination protectively contained within the exterior outer housing 22 illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown best in FIGS. 2 through 5, assembly '27 comprises a plurality of the individual holder members 26 arrayed in parallel rows (six in the particular illustrated embodiment) protectively carried in the hollow interior of an open top tray element (see FIGS. 3-5) preferably formed of sheet metal, rigid plastic or the like. Tray element 35 is formed with a substantially planar bottom wall 36 and two upturned margin wall portions 37, 38 each integrally formed with the bottom wall 36 and interjoined with the latter by a curvilinear portion 39. The two margin walls 37 and 38 lie along opposite longitudinal sides of the generally rectangular bottom wall 36 and as oriented in vertical posture illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, constitute top and bottom border wall portions or margins for the tray element.

It will be understood that the dimensional extent of the tray element 35 may be varied widely, depending upon the size and number of individual holder members 26 to be accommodated thereby, thus providing selective versatility as to size and shape for a program holder according to this invention.

Mounted transversely of the margin walls 37 and 38, at opposite ends of the tray element 35 are a pair of parallel spaced end bearing walls 40 and 41. A similar intermediate bearing wall 42 is mounted substantially midway of the length of the tray member in parallel relationship to the end wall members 40 and 41.

The three wall members 40, 41 and 42 are each rigidly affixed to bottom wall 36 of the tray element, as by fastener screws 43,43 (see FIGS. 3-6) and are locked to and over the outer edges of margin walls 37,38 by means of projecting ear portions 44 and 45 thereof located outwardly of the margin walls 37 and 38; the latter having suitable slotted openings for this purpose. In this fashion each of the walls 40, 41, 42 is rigidly held in a fixed position, normal to the plane of bottom wall 36 of the tray element 35.

As will be noted best from examining FIG. 5 of the drawings, each of the walls 40-42 is formed with a plurality of spaced cylindrical openings 47,47 therethrough, there being seven such openings in each of the walls in the particular seven row embodiment illustrated. It will be appreciated that the openings 47 are registeringly aligned when walls 40, 41 and 42 are assembled with the tray element for purposes of supporting the several arrayed holder members 26 in contiguous parallel rows as will be described in greater detail presently. (See FIGS. 2 and 6).

Turning now to the features of the individual holder members 26, reference is made specifically to FIGS. 6, 12 and 13 of the drawings. As best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, each holder member 26 preferably comprises, according to the particular illustrated embodiment, a unitary molding of rigid plastic material formed with an elongated body portion 50 of polygonal crosssectional configuration, specifically shown as triangular in FIG. 13. Body portion 50 is hollow to define an interior chamber 51 therewithin having one open end 52; a major cylindrical portion of the chamber being defined by cylindrical surface segments 53 (see FIG. 12) which are separated by intervening void areas 54 extending radially outward from surface portions 53 toward the external corners of the triangular shaped body 50. One interior cylindrical surface segment 53 is distinguished by a longitudinally extending rib 55 comprising a key for interlocking engagement with a keyway 56 formed in a cylindrical stub shaft portion 57 projecting from one end 58 of the body 50 (the lefthand end as viewed in FIG. 13). The stub shaft portion 57 is distinguished by a substantially square cross-sectional shaped opening 59 extending axially therethrough while the external diameter thereof is slightly less than the cylindrical diameter between the surface portions 53,53 of the bodys interior. Thus it will be understood that adjacent holder members 26 may be coaxially interlocked by inserting the stub shaft portion 57 of one into the open end of an adjacent holder member, so that a key 55 and keyway 56 interfit. In this fashion lengthwise extending rows of holder members are formed by interlocking a desired number of individual holder members 26 in coaxial alignment. In the present instance each row of holder members comprises four, interlocked, individual unitary members 26a, 26b, 26 c and 26d (See FIGS. 1 and 2).

It will be recognized that the stub shaft portions 57 of members 26d and 26b are rotatably supported, respectively, in the openings provided for that purpose in the lefthand end wall 41 and the intermediate wall 42 fixed to the tray element. On the other hand, the holder members 26a at the extreme right end of each row, as viewed in FIG. 2, have their open ends 52 adjacent end wall member 40. Consequently there is no hub portion 57 to support members 26a on wall 40. To overcome this difficulty, a plurality of drive gear units 60 are provided, one affixed or interlocked with the righthand end of each of the holder members 26a adjacent end wall 40 of the assembly.

As best shown in FIG. 6, each gear unit 60 comprises a molded or machined member comprising a toothed driving spur gear portion 61 having a radial flange 62 at one end (i.e., inner end) of the gear teeth. An integrally formed and related cylindrical hub portion 63 extends axially outwardly from the flange portion 62 of a diameter to fit closely into the cylindrical interior chamber 51 of an adjacent holder member 26a; hub portion 63 being provided with a keyway 64 for interlocking engagement with the key 55 formed along the hollow interior of the holder member (see FIG. 6). It will be recognized that the hub portion 63 of each of the drive gear units 60 passes through an opening 47 in the righthand end wall 40 thereby to rotatably support the righthand end of a row of holder members, for coaxial rotation in response to rotational movement of the drive gear unit 60 associated therewith.

Externally, each holder member 26 is formed with a plurality of like planar sides 65, each of which is provided with a recessed mounting or holder pocket 66 for removably mounting and displaying an individual program tab or card 25. It will be understood that while the illustrated holder members 26 have three sides 65 in the embodiment shown, the number of sides may be varied depending on design requirements.

Each holder pocket 66 is open at one end 67 and has overhanging flange portions 68,68 bordering its lateral margins and a similar lip flange 69 overhanging the other closed end thereof. A friction rib 70 depends centrally from lip flange 69 to frictionally grip a tab card 25 therebeneath, thereby to hold the same in the holder pocket 66.

The several drive gear units 60 for the rows of holder members illustrated, are commonly interjoined by an endless drive belt 71 (see FIG. 3) which has teeth on its inner periphery engaged with the teeth of the several spur gear portions 61. With this arrangement movement of the drive belt serves to simultaneously rotate the several drive gear units and thus the several rows of holder members associated therewith.

With special reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will be appreciated that each drive gear unit 60 is formed with a substantially square crosssectional shaped opening coaxially therethrough as indicated by numeral 72. A small stub shaft 73 is press fitted into opening 72 of the drive gear unit 60 associated with the holder member 26a located at the upper righthand corner of the array thereof illustrated in FIG. 2. A square drive shaft 74 (see FIG. 6) extends through wall 40 and the central opening of the drive gear unit 60 (see FIG. 2) and openings 51 of all the holder members in the lowermost row thereof, ultimately extending beyond the lefthand wall member 41.

The manually engageable drive members 28,28 are mounted over the outer projecting ends of shaft 74, being pinned thereto as by pin means 76 outwardly of the end walls 40 and 41 (see FIG. 6).

A bracket means 80 is attached to the bottom wall 36 of the tray element by fastener means 81 (see FIG. 3) to maintain a belt guard 82 in covering position over the belt means and the several drive gear units. Belt guard 82 principally serves to maintain the drive belt means in driving engagement with the teeth of the several drive gear units. In this respect, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the guard 82 is substantially C- shaped in cross section having upper and lower flange portions 84 and 85 which extend over the drive belt 71. The opposite ends of the guard cover 82 are bifurcated and pass over the stub shaft member 73 and the drive shaft 74. The right angular shaped bracket means 80 (see FIG. 2) is interlocked with a projecting ear 86 formed on the guard cover; ear 86 fitting into an opening in the vertical wall portion 87 of the bracket 80. This securely positions the guard cover over the drive belt and gear units.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the several rows of holder members and their respectively associated drive gear units are co-related to simultaneously rotate in response to actuation of the drive belt. Movement of the belt is effected by manually rotating the operating members 28,28 mounted at opposite ends of shaft 74 as heretofore noted.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 through 10 of the drawings, each operating member 28 comprises a generally cylindrically shaped, manually engageable outer shell portion 90 preferably molded of plastic or the like to include a central cup portion 91 extending inwardly of its rearward or inner face 92 (see FIGS. 8 and 10). It will be noted in particular that the cup portion 91 is cylindrical and open on its side adjacent the inner face 92 of the shell member 90. Bottom wall 93 of the cup portion is distinguished by three projections 94,94 circumferentially spaced at 120 intervals, in the particular illustrated embodiment, for purposes which will appear presently.

In addition to the outer shell portion 90, each member 28 includes a hub assembly 95 comprising a cylindrical clutch member 96 having an integral mounting hub portion 97 adapted for the inserted reception of one end of the drive shaft 74 and passage of the pin means 76 therethrough. The clutch portion 96 (see FIG. 9) has an inner face 98 provided with a plurality of diametrically extending channel grooves 99 to slidingly receive the projections 94 associated with the shell portion 90. An annular plate spring 100 is fixed to the shell portion 90 by drive screws or rivets 101; the spring member 100 extending across face 92 of the outer shell 90 and overlapping the clutch portion 96 of the hub assembly 95. In this fashion, the grooves or channels 99 are resiliently held in contact with the projections 94 to provide a clutch means between the outer shell portion 90 and the hub assembly 95 which is affixed to the drive shaft 74. Thus, if for any reason drive shaft 74 is prevented from rotating, the operating members 75 may rotate relative thereto and shaft 74 without damaging the drive train. This clutching arrangement is particularly desirable and necessary to avoid damage to the structure as may normally occur when twisting the two operating members 75 in different or opposite directions.

In order to moderate the free rotational movement of shaft 74 and maintain the separate display areas of the arrayed holder members in removably fixed index position until positively removed therefrom, a detent means is provided, as indicated generally at 105 (see FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 11). As shown best in FIG. 5, for example, such detent means comprises a three-toothed star wheel 106 mounted on shaft 74 between end wall 41 and the adjacent operating knob 28. A loop leaf spring 107 is mounted to engage the teeth of the star wheel 106, such being held to the tray element 35 by bracket means 108. It will be noted that the spring element 107 is disposed to position the holder members 26 with one of their display area faces upwardly when two teeth of the star wheel 106 are engaged therewith. As best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, one tooth 110 of the star wheel is foreshortened and spaced away from wall 41 for the purpose of providing two-positional movement for the several holders 26. This latter function is accomplished by means of a stop bar 111 normally mounted on end wall 41 in a non-interfering position with the star wheel 106, but capable of being disposed in an interfering position as is illustrated in FIG. Sof the drawings. In its interfering position, the two longer teeth of the star wheel, i.e., the teeth other than the fores'hortened tooth 110, each abuttingly engage the stop bar 11 1 to limit rotation of shaft 74 to the angular interval therebetween. In this fashion only two faces 65 of the holder members may be positioned for viewing.

From the foregoing those familiar with the art will readily appreciate the novel aspects and unique departure of the present invention over prior known program display devices. It further is to be recognized that within the scope and purview of this invention, the number of display areas or faces on the individual holder members may be varied to provide a convenient means for sectionalizing a total program to any desired number of sections. Additionally as to the number of holder members in the array thereof, greater or fewer than those illustrated herein may be accommodated depending upon the extent of the total program involved. Of like consequence is the obvious expedient or variation from the illustrated embodiment of providing unified elongated program holders instead of the individual holders described herein. Therefore, while this invention has been described in association with a particular preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be recognized that the same is not limited in its scope and concept except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sectionalizedprogram assembly for use with automatic phonographs and the like comprising: an elongated open top support tray adapted to be mounted in a protective housing and having a planar bottom wall and parallel bearing walls rigidly affixed across and intermediate the opposite ends thereof, a plurality of like individual holder members arrayed in each of several parallel rows extending lengthwise of said tray and having means whereby the same are supported for rotational movement by said bearing walls, each said holder member comprising a unitary molding of rigid material defining an elongated body portion of substantially triangular cross section having a longitudinal cylindrical interior portion opening inwardly of one end thereof and a coaxially aligned longitudinal stub shaft portion extending outwardly of the opposite end thereof; said cylindrical portion being coaxially receptive of a said stub shaft portion of an adjacent holder member in the assembly of said rows with the said stub shaft and cylindrical portions being provided with cooperating key and key way means for interlocking the same against relative rotation; the exterior surfaces of each said holder member defining three elongated planar sides each of which is provided with a rectangular recessed area bordered along three margins by overhanging lip portions for retaining an individual indicia bearing program tab member therebeneath, drive gear means coaxially coupled to the outer said holder member of each of said rows adjacent one of said bearing walls, belt means drivingly engaging said drive gear means, manually operable drive means associated with one of said rows and having means for positively rotating the drive gear means associated therewith thereby to actuate said belt means and simultaneously rotate each of said rows of holder members, and detent means comprising a toothed star wheel having means whereby the same is rotatable with one of said rows and engaged by resilient spring means affixed to said tray for selectively arresting said rows in three rotational index positions, in each of which positions corresponding sides of individual holder members are coplanar to display said tab members thereon in viewing position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said manually operable drive means comprises a pair of manually engageable operating members mounted over the outer ends of a drive shaft extending coaxially through one of said rows of holder members and said bearing wall means, each of said manually engageable members including clutch means operable to afford movement thereof relative to said drive shaft upon predetermined torque loading of the latter.

3. The combination of claim I, and stop means affixed to said tray and engageable with said star wheel to limit rotational movement thereof and said rows to and between only two of said index positions.

t III 

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said manually operable drive means comprises a pair of manually engageable operating members mounted over the outer ends of a drive shaft extending coaxially through one of said rows of holder members and said bearing wall means, each of said manually engageable members including clutch means operable to afford movement thereof relative to said drive shaft upon predetermined torque loading of the latter.
 3. The combination of claim 1, and stop means affixed to said tray and engageable with said star wheel to limit rotational movement thereof and said rows to and between only two of said index positions. 